Archive · 21 Sep 2026
NRC Disputes Intensify Across Manipur and Assam States
Manipur has seen large protests asking the government to update its citizen register.
The groups leading the protests want the 1951 register to be used as the starting point.
Manipur’s state assembly also approved this demand, according to the article.
Some Kuki-Zo groups opposed the move, while Meitei and Naga organisations supported it.
In Assam, a citizen register was prepared in 2018 and 2019.
More than 1.9 million applicants were left out of the published lists.
A former Assam NRC official says the process had serious mistakes and should be checked again.
The Supreme Court of India is considering petitions about the register.
Auditors also reported financial irregularities in the process.
Manipur protests and an assembly resolution have called for updating the NRC using the 1951 register as the base year.
The Union government deferred a Census-related exercise in Manipur after demonstrations, according to the article.
Former Assam NRC coordinator Hitesh Devsarma asked the Supreme Court of India to order comprehensive, time-bound reverification of the Assam NRC.
The Assam NRC draft was published in 2018 and a supplementary list in 2019, excluding more than 1.9 million applicants.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India reported irregularities involving about Rs 260 crore in an NRC process that cost the Centre Rs 1,600 crore.
- Who
- Manipur civil-society, community, women’s and student groups; the Manipur government; former Assam NRC coordinator Hitesh Devsarma; and petitioners before the Supreme Court of India.
- What
- The disputes concern updating Manipur’s NRC from the 1951 register, reverifying Assam’s NRC, issuing citizenship certificates, and investigating alleged administrative and financial irregularities.
- When
- The article refers to Manipur assembly resolutions in 2022, 2024 and 2026; Assam NRC lists published in 2018 and 2019; and Supreme Court hearings expected on 28 September.
- Where
- Manipur and Assam, with related proceedings before the Supreme Court of India.
- Why
- Supporters say updated citizenship records are necessary to verify citizenship and address migration concerns; critics and petitioners raise concerns about exclusion, errors, irregularities and the reliability of the Assam process.
Supporters of NRC Updating
Critics and Reverification Advocates
Need for a 1951 baseline
Supporters of NRC Updating
Manipur’s pro-NRC organisations and state leaders argue that a register based on 1951 records is essential for citizenship verification.
Critics and Reverification Advocates
The article does not identify a single unified opposition position, but Kuki-Zo groups are reported to have opposed the Manipur demand.
Status of Assam’s NRC
Supporters of NRC Updating
Petitioners seeking citizenship certificates argue that the names of more than 3.11 crore people included in the Assam NRC should be treated as an official basis for certification.
Critics and Reverification Advocates
Hitesh Devsarma argues that the Assam lists contain errors and irregularities and require comprehensive, time-bound reverification before being accepted.
Alleged misconduct and security risks
Supporters of NRC Updating
The article reports allegations that manipulated software, corruption and foreign funding may have enabled ineligible names to enter the Assam list.
Critics and Reverification Advocates
These claims are presented as allegations in a petition and report; the article does not provide a final judicial or investigative finding confirming them.
- Manipur demand
- Protesters called for an NRC based on the 1951 register before Census 2027.
- Assembly resolution
- The Manipur legislative assembly reportedly passed a unanimous resolution on 2 September 2026 supporting the demand.
- Assam draft NRC
- The draft was published on 30 July 2018, followed by a supplementary list on 31 August 2019.
- Applicants left out
- More than 1.9 million applicants were excluded from the published Assam lists, according to the article.
- Reported process cost
- The Centre spent approximately Rs 1,600 crore on updating the Assam NRC.
- Reported irregularities
- The Comptroller and Auditor General of India identified irregularities involving approximately Rs 260 crore.
- Expected court hearing
- Two related petitions were expected to be heard on 28 September.